Major League Soccer updated that 26 players, coaches and staff have been tested positive in checks done ahead of their travel to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida in order to take part in the MLS is Back Tournament.
The 14-filed sports complex in Orlando is the venue for a “bubble tournament” that will see the MLS continue the 2020 Regular Season which was shut in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The World-Cup style tournament is planned to begin in July 8th with teams already arriving at the complex to begin training. Starting with group stages, and moving on to a round of 16 knockout with the winners competing in the final rounds.
Teams such as MLS Western Conference San Jose Earthquakes and FC Dallas have already begun arriving to Florida and several already started training and preparation for the tournament in the complex. While other MLS teams such as NYCFC have decided to delay their arrival, all Major League Soccer teams have already gone back to training as some form.
The tournament will be held without fans in the enclosed complex, with all players, coaches and staff undergoing health checks and complying with social-distancing protocol. Prior to travelling to Orlando, all players, coaches, referees and staff need to undergo testing twice, each test done 24 hours apart from the other, and within about 72 hours of travel. When landing at Florida, another test takes place and they are quarantined until receiving the results.
So far the MLS has reported that so far 668 players have been tested since the full-team training started in June 4, with 18 players and 6 staff being tested positive for COVID-19, a 2.7% positive rate, compared to the NBA that is also planning a tournament in the ESPN Wide World of Sports, which reported a positive rate of 5.3%.
A Major League Soccer spokesman added that 329 people were tested for COVID-19 after landing at Florida, with two players being tested positive. Currently there are five teams that arrived at the complex and started training there, which are San Jose Earthquakes, Orlando City SC, Minnesota United, Columbus Crew SC and FC Dallas.
As the teams started arriving on Wednesday last week, Florida is seeing a rise in positive cases, with Orange County, home of most of the Walt Disney World Resort, having about 16% positive test rate over the past 5 days. In nearby Osceola County, which is where ESPN World Wide of Sports is, the positive test rate spiked in the last five days to 9.3% to 22.7%.
The spokesman from Major League Soccer said: “MLS is working in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County and Osceola County.” The source added that that there are currently no plans to delay or cancel the MLS is Back Tournament.
